Uncovering the Narrative of a Church’s ‘Stunning’ Angel Roof

Reverend Ruth Clay, team vicar of St Wendreda’s in March, Cambridgeshire, expressed her initial reaction to the angel roof, stating: “When I first saw the angel roof, I thought what a stunning and unusual array of beautiful medieval craftsmanship.” St Wendreda’s is one of 170 churches across England that features an intricately carved wooden angel roof. The church’s bells have ceased ringing, and the roof itself is now at risk following the discovery that its spire requires approximately £250,000 for necessary repairs. A fundraising initiative has commenced, inviting individuals to sponsor an angel. This prompts the question: what is the history behind this Fenland town’s remarkable angel roof? Construction on St Wendreda’s roof began in the 1520s, with Sir Anthony Hansart serving as its patron. Funding for the project was likely provided by William Dredeman. Mrs Clay elaborated: “Sir Anthony was an assistant to Robert Southwell, who was one of Henry VIII’s counsellors, and his first wife was Robert’s sister,” she said. “The Earl of Oxford called him ‘a very wise man’ and it’s said one of the angelic figures could be giving Sir Anthony his blessing.” She added that he later inherited two manors, including one situated in March. The double-hammer beam roof is adorned with 118 decoratively-carved angels, each crafted from oak. Some of these figures are depicted holding musical instruments, while others represent saints, identifiable by the symbols of their martyrdom. Mrs Clay commented that “Someone like Cardinal Wolsey would have needed to give permission for the expansion of the church and the roof installation.” Furthermore, the roof is embellished with 2,700 fleur-de-lis and was commissioned from a workshop located in Bacton, Suffolk. The trend for angel roofs emerged in the 1390s and persisted until the Reformation in the mid-1500s. Mrs Clay stated: “My research suggests the roofs appeared as a result of the royal carpenter Hugh Herland’s influence – he completed the first known angel roof in England at Westminster Hall,” she said. She continued, “Some wonder whether the angel roofs were created in opposition to the Lollard Heresy of the 1400s, which was particularly strong in East Anglia.” The Lollards drew inspiration from John Wycliffe (1330-1384), a theologian whose concepts, including the translation of the Bible into English, were deemed heretical by the Roman Catholic church. Mrs Clay explained that the Lollards considered images within churches to be idolatrous, and these elaborately designed roofs served as “a reassertion of Roman Catholic orthodoxy through art.” The roof successfully endured the Reformation, a period during which numerous church images were destroyed. Mrs Clay shared a local anecdote: “Of course, it’s very high up, but the story is that the guildsmen of the town wined and dined King Henry’s men in a hostelry next door and while they nicked the silver, they didn’t set fire to the roof.” She expressed hope that public awareness regarding the costly repairs necessary to ensure the safety of St Wendreda’s spire – and to allow the church bells to ring once more – would attract more visitors. She remarked: “March is known for the prison [high security HMP Whitemoor], for veg-packing companies, we grow beetroot and sugarbeet, but our spectacular angel roof isn’t well-known and we want to encourage people to come and see it.” For updates on Cambridgeshire news, follow BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.